I may have missed the explanation on armed overwatch versus light attack. Any updates on the program?
Also, SEC. 180 discusses a roadmap for SOCOM ISR. Any bets on this getting rolled into next generation manned or unmanned ISR?
10+ year old thread.... amazing.
https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s4049/BILLS-116s4049es.pdf
SEC. 175. Prohibition on purchase of armed overwatch aircraft.
The Secretary of the Air Force may not purchase any aircraft for the Air Force Special Operations Command for the purpose of “armed overwatch” until such time as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force certifies to the congressional defense committees that general purpose forces of the Air Force do not have the skill or capacity to provide close air support and armed overwatch to United States forces deployed operationally.
SEC. 176. Special operations armed overwatch.
(a) Prohibition.—None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act for the Department of Defense may be used to acquire armed overwatch aircraft for the United States Special Operations Command, and the Department of Defense may not acquire armed overwatch aircraft for the United States Special Operations Command in fiscal year 2021.
(b) Analysis required.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than July 1, 2021, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict and the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command, shall conduct an analysis to define the special operations-peculiar requirements for armed overwatch aircraft and to determine whether acquisition of a new special operations-peculiar platform is the most cost effective means of fulfilling such requirements.